Biography for
Buster Crabbe
Birth name:
Clarence Linden Crabbe
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Date of birth (location): 7 February 1908,
Oakland, California, USA
Date of death (details)
23 April 1983,
Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. (heart attack)
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Mini biography
Buster Crabbe graduated from the University of Southern California. In 1931, ... (show more)
Sometimes Credited As:
Larry 'Buster' Crabbe
Larry Crabbe
Buster Crabbe
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Mini biography
Buster Crabbe
graduated from the University of Southern California. In 1931, while working on That's My Boy for Columbia, he was tested by MGM for Tarzan and rejected. Paramount put him in "King of the Jungle" as Kaspa, the
Lion Man (after a book of that title but clearly a copy of the Tarzan stories). Publicity for this movie emphasized his having won the 1932 Olympic 400-meter free-style swimming championship and suggested a rivalry with
Weissmuller. Sol Lesser wanted him for an independent Tarzan (the Fearless), though he first had to get James Pierce to waive rights to the part already granted by his father-in-law, Edgar Rice Burroughs. The film was
released as both a feature and a serial; most houses showed only the first serial episode which critics panned as a badly organized feature. Just prior to the film's release he married his college sweetheart and gave
himself one year to either make it as an actor or start law school at USC. Paramount put him in a number of Zane Grey westerns, then Universal put him in very successful sci-fi serials (Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers)
1936-40. In 1940 he did a string of Billy the Kid westerns. After World War II he did acted only occasionally, devoting much of his time to his swimming pool corporation and operation of a boys' camp in New York.
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Spouse
'Adah Virginia Held' (1933 - 1983) (his death)
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Trivia
Re: Buster Crabbe The name of the character played on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was Brigadier
"Flash" Gordon. Original air date 9/27/79 Directed by Michael Caffney.
Won gold medal in the 400 Meter Swimming Freestyle at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Also won a bronze medal in the 1500
Meter Freestyle at Amsterdam.
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Salary
Alien Dead (1980) $2000
Prairie Rustlers (1945) $3000
Biography from Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia:
Actor. (b. Feb. 17, 1907, Oakland, Calif., as Clarence Linden Crabbe; d. Apr. 23, 1983.) Right up to the day he died-literally-Buster Crabbe was still getting fan
mail from all over the world, most of it commenting on his portrayal of interplanetary adventurer Flash Gordon, the comic-strip crusader he brought to life in three memorable movie serials: Flash Gordon (1936), Flash
Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938), and Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940). Born in California but raised in Hawaii, Crabbe became a top swimmer and even won a gold medal in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. He initially
worked in movies as a stunt double (swimming for Joel McCrea in 1932's The Most Dangerous Game to begin with) and was signed by Paramount the following year. Topbilled in King of the Jungle (1933) as an imitation
Tarzan-he played the Ape Man himself later that year, on loan to indie producer Sol Lesser, in the serial Tarzan the Fearless-Crabbe gave a good accounting of himself but was sent to the B-picture units for seasoning.
Over the next six years he played in Westerns (1933's To the Last Man 1935's Nevada 1936's Arizona Raiders comedies (1934's You're Telling Me with W. C. Fields), crime dramas (1937's King of Gamblers 1938's Tip-Off
Girls and collegiate yarns (1935's Hold 'Em Yale 1936's Rose Bowl 1939's Million Dollar Legs He was loaned to Universal for the first two Flash Gordon serials and two other chapterplays, Red Barry (1938) and Buck Rogers
(1939).
The handsome, brawny Crabbe spent most of the 1940s at the PRC studios, churning out dozens of ultra-cheap Westerns (playing an overage Billy the Kid in 1941-43 oaters) and occasional B's, such as Jungle
Man (1941) and Queen of Broadway (1942). Leaving PRC in 1946, Crabbe played heavies in various lowbudgeters, including Swamp Fire (1946, opposite fellow Olympic swimming star and former Tarzan Johnny Weissmuller), Last
of the Redmen (1947, as Magua in this "Last of the Mohicans" remake), and Caged Fury (1948). At Columbia he starred in three serials: The Sea Hound (1947), Pirates of the High Seas (1950), and King of the
Congo (1952).
No stranger to the small screen, Crabbe hosted an early 1950s kiddie show, "Buster's Buddies," and starred in the 1955-57 series "Captain Gallant of the French Foreign Legion,"
which was filmed in and around Morocco. Back in the States, he made a few more movies-including Badman's Country (1958), Gunfighters of Abilene (1960), and The Bounty Killer (1965)-before getting involved in the
swimming-pool business and taking a post as athletic director at a New York summer resort hotel. He was surprisingly effective-and even touching-in a lowbudget improvisational comedy, The Comeback Trail (made 1971, but
never officially released), playing a former Western star persuaded to come out of retirement by unscrupulous producers who insure him heavily and then try to kill him during shooting of a new film.
In later
years Crabbe made frequent appearances at nostalgia-oriented film festivals. As a lark he took a supporting role in a 1979 episode of the "Buck Rogers" TV series, and appeared in The Alien Dead (made 1981,
released 1985), directed by a longtime fan.
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Filmography as: Actor, Notable TV guest appearances
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Actor - filmography
(1980s) (1970s) (1960s) (1950s) (1940s) (1930s)
Comeback Trail, The (1982) .... Duke Montana
Alien Dead (1980) .... Sheriff Kowalski
... aka Alien Dead, The (1980) (UK: video title)
... aka It Fell from the Sky (1980)
... aka Swamp of the Blood Leeches (1980)
Swim Team (1979)
Buck Rogers (1977)
... aka Planet Outlaws (1999) (USA: video box title)
Deadly Ray from Mars (1966) (TV) .... Flash Gordon
Destination Saturn (1966) (TV)
Peril from the Planet Mongo (1966) (TV) .... Flash Gordon
Purple Death from Outer Space (1966) (TV) .... Flash Gordon
... aka Purple Death from Outer Space 1940 (1966) (TV) (promotional title)
Spaceship to the Unknown (1966) (TV) .... Flash Gordon
Bounty Killer, The (1965) .... Mike Clayman
Arizona Raiders (1965) .... Capt. Tom Andrews
Tarzan the Fearless (1964) (TV) .... Tarzan
Gunfighters of Abilene (1960) .... Kip
Badman's Country (1958) .... Wyatt Earp
Lawless Eighties, The (1957) .... Link Prescott
Gun Brothers (1956) .... Chad Santee
"Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion" (1955) TV Series .... Capt. Michael Gallant (1955-57)
... aka "Foreign Legionnaire" (1955)
Planet Outlaws (1953) .... Col. Buck Rogers
King of the Congo (1952) .... Thunda/Roger Drum
... aka Mighty Thunda, The (1952)
... aka Thunda (1952)
Captive Girl (1950) .... Barton
... aka Jungle Jim and the Captive Girl (1950)
Pirates of the High Seas (1950) .... Jeff Drake
Caged Fury (1948) .... Smiley
Code of the Plains (1947)
Sea Hound, The (1947) .... Captain Silver
Last of the Redmen (1947) .... Magua
... aka Last of the Redskins (1947) (UK)
Outlaw of the Plains (1946) .... Billy Carson
Swamp Fire (1946) .... Mike Kalavich
Overland Riders (1946) .... Billy Carson
Prairie Badmen (1946) .... Billy Carson
Ghost of Hidden Valley (1946) .... Billy Carson
Terrors on Horseback (1946) .... Billy Carson
Gentlemen with Guns (1946) .... Billy Carson
Shadows of Death (1945) .... Billy Carson
Fighting Bill Carson (1945) .... Billy Carson
Border Badmen (1945) .... Billy Carson
Rustler's Hideout (1945) .... Billy Carson
Stagecoach Outlaws (1945) .... Billy Carson
Gangster's Den, The (1945) .... Billy Carson
His Brother's Ghost (1945) .... Billy Carson
Lightning Raiders (1945) .... Billy Carson
Prairie Rustlers (1945) .... Billy Carson/Jim, his outlaw cousin
Drifter, The (1944) .... Billy Carson/Drifter Davis
Oath of Vengeance (1944) .... Billy Carson
Thundering Gun Slingers (1944) .... Billy Carson
Wild Horse Phantom (1944) .... Billy Carson
Fuzzy Settles Down (1944) .... Billy Carson
Contender, The (1944) .... Gary Farrell
Valley of Vengeance (1944) .... Billy Carson
Frontier Outlaws (1944) .... Billy Carson
Nabonga (1944) .... Ray Gorman
... aka Girl and the Gorilla, The (1944)
... aka Gorilla (1944)
... aka Jungle Woman, The (1944/II) (UK)
Western Cyclone (1943) .... William 'Billy the Kid' Bonney
... aka Frontier Fighters (1943) (USA)
Devil Riders (1943) .... Billy Carson
Blazing Frontier (1943) .... Billy The Kid
... aka Billy the Kid in Blazing Frontier (1943)
Renegade, The (1943) .... Billy the Kid
Cattle Stampede (1943) .... Billy the Kid
... aka Billy the Kid in Cattle Stampede (1943)
Fugitive of the Plains (1943) .... Billy the Kid
... aka Billy the Kid in Fugitive of the Plains (1943)
... aka Raiders of Red Rock (1947) (USA: reissue title)
Kid Rides Again, The (1943) .... William 'Billy the Kid' Bonney
... aka Billy the Kid Rides Again (1943) (USA)
Law and Order (1942) .... Billy the Kid
... aka Billy the Kid's Law and Order (1942)
... aka Double Alibi (1942) (UK)
Mysterious Rider, The (1942) .... Billy the Kid
... aka Panhandle Trail (1948) (USA: reissue title)
Sheriff of Sage Valley (1942) .... Billy the Kid/Kansas Ed
Wildcat (1942) .... Mike Rawlins
Queen of Broadway (1942)
Jungle Siren (1942) .... Captain Gary Hart
Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns (1942) .... Billy the Kid
... aka Smoking Guns (1942) (UK)
Billy the Kid Trapped (1942) .... Billy "The Kid" Bonney
Billy the Kid's Roundup (1941) .... Billy the Kid
Jungle Man (1941) .... Dr. Robert "Junga" Hammond
Billy the Kid Wanted (1941) .... Billy the Kid
Buck Rogers (1940) .... Buck Rogers
... aka Buck Rogers Conquers the Universe (1940) (USA: video title)
... aka Buck Rogers: Destination Saturn (1940) (USA: recut version)
... aka Planet of Outlaws (1940) (USA: cut version)
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940) .... Flash Gordon
... aka Perils from the Planet Mongo (1940) (USA: recut version)
... aka Purple Death from Outer Space (1940) (USA: recut version)
... aka Space Soldiers Conquer the Universe (1955) (USA: TV title)
Sky Patrol (1940) .... Buck Rogers
Sailor's Lady (1940) .... Rodney
Colorado Sunset (1939) .... Haines
Million Dollar Legs (1939) .... Coach Baxter
Unmarried (1939) .... Buzz Kenton
... aka Night Club Hostess (1939)
Call a Messenger (1939) .... 'Chuck' Walsh
Hunted Men (1938) .... James Flowers
... aka Crime Gives Orders (1938)
Illegal Traffic (1938) .... Steve
Red Barry (1938) .... Red Barry
Mars Attacks the World (1938) .... Flash Gordon
Tip-Off Girls (1938) .... John A. "Red" Deegan
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938) .... Flash Gordon
... aka Deadly Ray From Mars (1938) (USA: recut version)
... aka Flash Gordon: Mars Attacks the World (1938) (USA: video title)
... aka Space Soldiers' Trip to Mars (1938)
Daughter of Shanghai (1937) .... Andrew Sleete
... aka Daughter of the Orient (1937) (UK)
King of Gamblers (1937) .... Eddie
... aka Czar of the Slot Machines (1937)
Sophie Lang Goes West (1937) .... Steve Clayson
Thrill of a Lifetime (1937) .... Don
Forlorn River (1937) .... Nevada
... aka River of Destiny (1937) (USA: TV title)
Murder Goes to College (1937) .... Strike Belno
Flash Gordon (1936/I) .... Flash Gordon
... aka Flash Gordon: Rocketship (1936) (USA: recut version)
... aka Flash Gordon: Space Soldiers (1936) (USA: video title)
... aka Space Soldiers (1936) (USA: TV title)
... aka Spaceship to the Unknown (1936) (USA: recut version)
Flash Gordon (1936/II) .... Flash Gordon
... aka Atomic Rocketship (1936)
... aka Rocketship (1936)
Rose Bowl (1936) .... Ossie Merrill
... aka O'Riley's Luck (1936) (UK)
Arizona Mahoney (1936) .... Kirby Talbot
... aka Arizona Thunderbolt (1936)
... aka Bad Men of Arizona (1936)
Lady Be Careful (1936) .... Jake
Arizona Raiders, The (1936) .... Laramie Nelson
... aka Bad Men of Arizona (1951) (USA: reissue title)
Desert Gold (1936) .... Moya
Drift Fence (1936) (as Larry (Buster) Crabbe) .... Slinger Dunn
... aka Texas Desperadoes (1936)
Hold 'Em Yale (1935) .... Hector Wilmot
... aka Uniform Lovers (1935) (UK)
Nevada (1935) .... Nevada
Wanderer of the Wasteland (1935) .... Big Ben
Badge of Honor (1934) .... Bob Gordon
Search for Beauty (1934) .... Don Jackson
You're Telling Me! (1934) (as Larry 'Buster' Crabbe) .... Bob Murchison
She Had To Choose (1934) .... Bill
We're Rich Again (1934) (as Larry 'Buster' Crabbe) .... Erp
Island of Lost Souls (1933) (uncredited) .... Beast
... aka Island of Dr. Moreau, The (1933) (USA)
King of the Jungle (1933) .... Kaspa the Lion Man
Sweetheart of Sigma Chi (1933) .... Bob North
... aka Girl of My Dreams (1933) (UK)
To the Last Man (1933) .... Bill Hayden
Man of the Forest (1933) .... Yegg, a henchman
... aka Challenge of the Frontier (1933) (USA: reissue title)
Tarzan the Fearless (1933) .... Tarzan
Thundering Herd, The (1933) .... Bill Hatch
... aka Buffalo Stampede (1934) (USA: reissue title)
... aka In the Days of the Thundering Herd (1933)
Hollywood on Parade (1932)
Movie Town (1931) (uncredited)
Maker of Men (1931) (uncredited) .... Football Player
... aka Yellow (1931)
Good News (1930) (uncredited) .... Student With Pipe
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Filmography as: Actor, Notable TV guest appearances
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Notable TV guest appearances
"Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" (1979) playing "Brigadier Gordon" in episode: "Planet of the Slave Girls" (episode # 1.3) 9/27/1979
"Star Tonight" (1955) in episode: "Night, Be Quiet" (episode # 2.10) 11/3/1955
"Star Tonight" (1955) in episode: "Murderer, The" (episode # 1.7) 3/17/1955
"Philco
Television Playhouse, The" (1948) in episode: "Cowboy for Chris, A" (episode # 4.16) 5/18/1952 |
